Folding wire crate or container



Jan. 30, 1928. 1,443,901; v T. J. MURRAY.

FOLDING WIRE CRATE 0R CONTAINER,

man SEPT. 23. 192p: a SHEETS-S85E12;

Tim'ul hy J. Murr a5.

Jan. 30, 1923.

T. J. MURRAY.

FOLDING WIRE CRATE 0R CONTAINER.

SHEETSSHEET 3.

FILED SEPT.23.1920.

iii/iv?! Patented Jan. 30, 1923.

g tenet TIMOTHY J. IVIIl'RRAY, OF COVINGTON, INDIANA.

FOLDING WIRE CRATE OR CONTAINER;

Application filed September 23, 1920. Serial No. 412,165. 7

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that LTlMornr J. MURRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Covington, in the county of Fountain and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Wire Crates or Containers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shipping crates and the like, and the primary object of the invention is toprovide an improved 0011211151- ble and folding crate which can be readily knocked down for shippin or storage, and which is constructed of wire so as to reduce the weight thereof and eliminate the use of wood, which is both expensive and hard to obtain.

Another object of the invention is to provide a durable knock down crate, which will be simple and cheap to manufacture, and which can be easily and quickly set up or knocked down by the ordinary layman.

A' further object of the inventlon is to provide an improved means for forming the wire crate, so as to permit the sides to be connected against collapsing, and to provide an improved means for securing the top to the sides so as to further prevent collapsing of the sides and to hold the lid or cover against displacement.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangementand formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which:

Figure l'is a perspective view of the improved shipping crate illustrating the same in its open position prior to being set up for use. 7

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the crate set up ready for use. V

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the crate illustrating the means of connecting the top to the sides so as to prevent collapsing of the sides and the opening of the crate top.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail perspective view looking into the crate illustrating one means of connecting the side walls. of the crate together. v

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail perspect1ve view illustrating a crate having a central partition incorporated therewith.

Figure 6 is a top plan view "of a modified I set up.

form of the crate, showing the same in its" extended'or open position prior to being Figure 7 is a fragmentarydetail perspec tire view looking into the interior of the crate illustrating the means ofconnecting the side walls of the crate together of the form illustrated in F iguresl and 2. r Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding views, the letter A indicates a shipping crate, which is preferably formed of wire of any desired gauge. The wire mesh from which the crate or container is to be made can be constructed or. formedin any preferred 'manner, either by weaving the strands of wire together or by connecting the strands by solder or the like.

The improved crate A, as shown, includes the bottom wall 10, the front wall 11, the side walls 12 and 18, the rear walll l andthe top wall or cover 15. A 1 and 2 the bottom wall 10 has its marginal edges bent up to provide flanges 16,17, 18 and 19. These flanges 16, 17, 18 and 19are arranged in stepped relation, i. e., each one parts throughout the several i s shown in Figures is formed relatively higher than the other,

the flanges 16, 17, 18 and 19 and form, the

pivots for the walls. The side edges of the walls 11, 12, 13 and 14 have formed on the horizontal parallel strands 20, eyes 24 which are adapted to align with eachotherwhen the walls are placed tions. The aligned eyes 24. are adapted to receive stay wires 'or rods25 and the terminals of these rods or wiresma'y' be bent or turned inwardly as at 26 so as to prevent the accidental displacement thereof. Owingto the fact that the corner wires'of the walls 11, 12 13 and 14 are positioned relatively close together. the wires or rods25 will be relatively hard togetto' from the outside of the crate when the lid or top wall 15 'is closed. thereby preventing easy entrancel'of unauthorized persons into thecrate. Q

As shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, a

in their upright pdsicrate B is provided in which the horizontal strands 30 of the side walls are continued eyond the vertical strands 31 thereof, and these horizontally disposed strands have eyes formed thereon. which are adapted to align with the eyes on the adjacent walls of the crate when the walls are in their vertical upright position. In. this form the horizontally disposed wires or strands $33 of the upturned "flanges formed on the bottom wall 35 have'the terminals thereof provided with eyes 36 which are adapted to align with the eyes The stay rods or wires 3? in this form is adapted to not only be inserted through the eyes 3-52 but also through the eyes 36. This firmiy holds the walls in their upright position against accidental displacement. The terminals of the wires or corner rods 87 are in this form in turned as at 38 to prevent the accidental displacement thereof. Returning to the description of Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings it is to be noted that the upper terminals of the vertically disposed strands or wires 21 are provided with eyes 2?, which are adapted to protrude through the cover 15.

The cover 15 is formed relatively large and has the ends thereof adjacent to the rear wall 14 provided with elongated eyes 28 which are slidably mounted on the up permost strand of the rear wall 14-. This permits fitting of the top wall or cover on the top of the crate to permit or the ready positioning of the eyes 27 therethroug'h. After the eyes 27 have been positioned be tween the upper wall or cover 15 of the crate, a bendable wire or cable 29 is threaded therethrough, as clearly show in, Figure :3 of the drawings, and theterininals of this cable may be twisted as at/39 to prevent the accidental displacement thereof. It so desired, a seal (not shown) may be used for connecting the wire 29 to the eyes against removal by unauthorized persons.

The lower corners of each of the walls 11, 12, 13 and 1% may be offset-inwardly at -10 so as to prevent the engagement of these walls with the corner eyes formed on theadjacent walls. This also permits suiticient shifting'ol the walls to facilitate the easy setting up of the crate.

In Figure is illustrated a crate C which is of substantially elongated oblong form and this crate is constructed exactly like the form shownin Figures land 2, with the exception that acentral partition ll is pro vided for dividingthe crate into compartments, which is sometimes desirable in the shippingof vegetables, fruit and the like. Thepartition ll extends transversely across the crate body andincludes the horizontally disposed wires or strands 42 and vertically disposed strands or wires 13. The terminals of the horizontally disposed strands or wires 12 are provided with hooked terminals 1 1 which are adapted to engage eyes formed for that purpose on the front and rear walls of the crate. The lower ends or' the vertically disposed strands or wires a3 are provided with elongated eyes 16 which receive a transversely extending wire t? carried by the crate body for this purpose. The provision of the elongated eyes 16 permits the partition 21 to be raised .or lowered so as to position the hooked terminals id in theeyes 4:5. The uppermost terminals of the vertically disposed wires or strands 4 3 are provided with eyes which are adapted to protrude through the cover of the crate and a suitable wire (not shown) is adapted to be threaded through these eyes so as to hold the partition against movement.

In Figure 6 is shown a slightly modified form 01" the crate in which the side pieces 50, 51, 52, and 53 are hingedly coimected to the marginal edges of the bottom wall 55, and these pieces are used in the place of the upstanding flanges 16, '17 1S and 19 formed on the body wall 10 oi the crate illustrated in Figures 1 and :2. Thejwalls 56, 5.7, 58, and 59 of the crate are hinged to these side pieces, andit can. be seen that this provides a. double hinge tor each of the side walls. This permits the crate to be knocked down in a relatively flat formation and permits a number to be baled together for shipping or storage. lVhen a number of the crates are to be baled 'together for shipping or storage, it is merely necessary to turn in the side walls and 58 if so desired and connect the crates together in elongated formation.

In collapsing the crate as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the front wall 11 is first folded inwardly and then the side wall 12 after which the side walls 13, and then the rear wall 1 1 and its cover 15. This providesa compact structure, and if so desired, the stay wires may be placed below the front wall 11. When the crate is being returned to the original shipper, the stay. wire can be either thrown away orvreturned as may be desired, but it is to be understood that i owing to the low costof these wires that the return of the same is not essential.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that wire crate has been provided, whichcan be easily kept clean, manufactured at a small cost and easily and quickly repaired without the aid of skilled mechanics and which can be returned to the original shipper at a minimum amount of cost.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this-invention; but,

I claim:

1. A knock down, wire container co'mprising a bottom wall, side pieces hingediy carried by the bottom Wall and adapted to extend at various heights from the bottom wall, side walls hingedly carried by the upper edges of the side pieces, means for con necting the adjacent side edge and the side walls together, a top wall hingedly and slidably connected to the top edge of one of the side walls, the sliding connection permitting the top wall to be shifted laterally as well as forwardly and rearwardly of the side walls, and means for connecting the top Wall to the side walls when the container is in its setup position.

2. In a knock down wire container, a bot tom wall, end, front and rear walls hingedly and slidably carried by the bottom wall, means for connecting the meeting edges of the walls together when the walls are in their upright positions, a top wall hingedly and slidably carried by the rear wall arranged to overlie the upper edges of the front and end walls when the same are in their upright positions, and means for connecting the top wall with the front and side walls.

8. In a knock down wire container, a bottom section, end, front and rear walls hingedly carried by the bottom section, means for connecting the meeting edge of the side walls together when in their upright posi tion, a top wall hingedly and slidably carried by the upper edge of the rear wall for lateral and longitudinal shifting movement, the top wall being adapted tooverlie the other walls when the same are in their upright positions, upstanding eyes formed on the upper edges of the front and end Walls arranged to project through the top wall, and a removable tay wire arranged through the eyes of the front and end walls for engaging the uppersurface of the top wall, and means for preventing the accidental movement of said stay wire.

at. In a knock down wire crate, a bottom wall, side walls hingedly carried by the bottom wall, a top Wall hingedly carried by one of the side walls, a partition arranged in the crate, inwardly extending eyes carhingedly and slidably connecting the bottom edge of the partition with the bottom hooks carried by the partition with the eyes carried by the side Walls. a

5. In a knock down wire. crate, a bottom wall, ide Walls hingedly carried by the bottom wall, a top wall hingedly carried by one of the side walls, a partition arranged in the crate, inwardly extending eyes carried by the inner surface of certain of the side walls, downturned hooks carried by the side edges of the partition arranged to removably engage said eyes, elongated eyes formed on the lower edge of the partition arranged to hingedly and slidably engage the bottom wall to permit the ready positioning of the hooks into said eyes, upwardly extending eyes formed on the upper edge of the partition and arranged to project through the top wall, and a stay rod. arranged to extend through said upwardly extending eyes formed on the partition and arranged to engage the upper surface of the cover.

6. In a knock down Wire container, a bottom Wall, side walls carriedby the bottom wall, each of the side walls including verti cal and horizontally disposed strands of' wires, the terminals of the horizontally disposed strands of Wires being providedwith right angularly extending eyes, the eyes being arranged in abutting relation to the end vertical strands of wires, the eye being adapted to align when the side walls are in their set up position, stay Wires removably fitted in said eyes and arranged toengage the inner surface of the end vertically diswall for permitting the engagement of the posed strands of wires whereby accidental displacement of the stav wires will be prevented, a top wall, and elongated loops carried by the top wall arranged to slidably and hingedly engage the upper edge of one of the side walls.

TIMOTHY J MURRAY. 

